Global developments, both technological and economic, have led many organizations to diversify their workforce throughout the world. For example, technology such as computer networking has made it feasible for companies or other organizations to employee people regardless of geographic boundaries. That is, technologies have allowed employees to be increasingly dispersed in time, place, and organizational affiliation. In this way, as labor markets are becoming tighter and supply-driven, it is possible to find more qualified personnel, without the need to have a physical facility at such locations.
However, becoming ever more dispersed, both technologically as well as geographically, poses significant challenges to management. By way of example, it becomes increasingly more difficult for management to coordinate workflow and assignments for projects. This is a significant challenge when employees dispersed amongst different locations are assigned to a single project. This is even more challenging when these employees (team members) are dispersed amongst different time zones, some being 12 or more hours different.
A project manager is tasked with the coordination of the project by first assembling a team and then assigning the team members specific tasks that need to be accomplished to complete the project. This includes assessing the skill set and level of skill of all team members, the time that each team member is projected to work, the sequence of tasks that are required to complete the task, etc. As such, the project manager is thus tasked with leading the planning and the development of all project deliverables. The project manager is also thus responsible for managing the budget and work plan and all project management procedures such as, for example, scope management, issues management, risk management, etc.
Thus, as can be imagined, a project team dispersed amongst many different time zones has many challenges to overcome in performing their work. This includes the coordination and collaboration of projects, amongst themselves, and the coordination and assignment of workflow by the project manager. The latter of which becomes very problematic when a project requires certain tasks to be performed in a specific sequence. So, for example, it is the responsibility of the project manager to ensure that a team member work and complete a first task, in an earlier time zone, prior to another team member undertaking a subsequently required task in a later time zone.
It is also important for the project manager to communicate the specific tasks that require completion, and their time frame for completion, amongst all of the team members. But this becomes problematic when certain team members, in different time zones, are not currently working since their workday has ended or not yet started.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.